Radical laundry reduction

savingqueen

We are a family of 4 (plus 2 cats whose hairs spread about the house somewhat) and I used to spend ridiculous amounts of time washing and ironing. DH used to say it was my hobby..... didn't please me that one. Its still time consuming....the "neverendingness" sometimes however I have cut down tons by hardly ever ironing (only crumply fabrics with linen in etc or for special occasions) which has given me back some eves and cut down on watching rubbish TV to boot.

Also washing less. I don't change the bedding as often as I used to unless particularly hot weather or someone has been ill (cold/flu = sweaty sheets) and if clothes aren't in need of washing, they don't get washed. That's not to say we wear pongy clothes and underwear/socks for example get changed every day. Simple really and I don't know why it took me so many years to work it out. When I think of all the clothes I'd worn for a couple of hours at when I was a young wippersnapper and my mum used to uncomplainedly wash and iron..... it doesn't bear thinking about.

I try hard not to tumbledry (other than to finish off towels so they aren't crunchy) unless I really really have to. Line dry as much as poss even if washing's still damp at end of day, it goes onto one of 3 airers and/or radiator dryers or hung on hangers from various points like doorways. I use a lot less washing powder than I used to and don't notice the difference. I use tiny amount of value fabric conditioner or none if using Mr L's own brand with conditioner added in - if I use the branded or non-value stuff if makes me sneeze anyway.

I've definitely noticed the difference in leccy and washing powder etc by doing all this so saving both money and time can't be bad!

ps a little tip - if something is still clean enough to wear but has a little stain on it try sponging it off before chucking in the wash. I have 2 boys 4 & 7 and this sometimes works on things like school sweatshirts/trousers. Most days clothes have mud/lunch/paint/unidentifiable marks on them but occasionally just a little stain which might...just might....sponge off and then I'm happy....like I have a secret up my sleeve (don't think that's the right expression but YKWIM?) it's the little things huh?!

as for organising - I don't do a load until I have enough for one (towels/darks/whites/inbetween colours) but don't let the laundry pile get too big either. Much eaiser to keep on top of it if done reguarly. DH has to put his stuff in laundry bin otherwise it stays on his side of floor for...well how long is a piece of string?! Boys have to put their undies in said bin every day but I decide whether rest need washing, nothing usually lasts more than 2 days. I REFUSE to scrabble about on the floor for their dirty socks!

If I'm on top of laundry I feel much more in control of stuff generally even if the rest of the house could win a prize (1st place) for clutter. I put everything away otherwise it doesn't get done and gets mixed up with the dirty and creates more work for me. When boys are older though they will be putting their stuff away (when they can actually reach wardrobe rails etc!). Actually got me thinking about getting them started again on a few simple chores each week.

wow what a load of talk about laundry - I could go on all night....even have as a specialist subject of Mastermind !!!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

abwsco

LolaLemon wrote: »

I love that! I will be keeping this to use on my son when older, if he turns out like me (but then I had a mum who didn't let me learn domestic stuff, hence why I am soo bad at it now, slowly learning that their is no magic fairy who does it all for u)

raven83 wrote: »

that is such a good idea i am going to try that!:D

Happy to help-lols

Should say that I'm like savingqueen and have to be on top of the laundry. Only do full loads as well but just split whites and coloureds so towels go in whichever of those suit. I also do a jumper/fleece load over winter as these have to be done at 30. Bedding gets done every two weeks during winter (unless we've been ill) but gets done weekly over summer. I always wash bedding at 60 though and if there's room in the machine I will put tea towels and dishcloths in at the same time. I also stick teatowels and dishcloths in the machine when I'm doing a maintenance wash of my machine at 90.

sonastin

abwsco wrote: »

When my DD's left washing on the floor I hid it. They soon got the message when they had no clothes left to wear and their friends wouldn't lend them any:p

Childless so can't tell if this is a workable suggestion but...

Step 2. Hide it in the laundry basket. When they expect you to magic it out of thin air, turn it into the "this is how you do your own (and everyone elses?) laundry" lesson?!

lil_me

2 boys, DP and I

We have dirty baskets in our room & the boys room
80% of our leisure clothes are dark colours that I put in together same goes for uniform apart from shirts
School shirt & polo shirts go in together preferably one load a week including DS1s PE polo sin with these I put any Whites I have
Lights/other whites go in another wash

My 10 year old can and will use the washer and dryer, I showed him when he was about 5 as he was fascinated with the buttons so was show him or break it. Thursday I'd forgot to wash his school trousers so he did his own & dried them. More than his Dad would/could. It's putting them away I struggle with

icecreamdogpark

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

There's five of us and i feel the same! I have a tumble drier which i use more than i should but if i didn't use it i'd never get to the end of the wash basket! I don't mind the washing and drying it's the putting it all away that annoys me :mad: so if anyone has any good tips i'm all ears :T

I hate the putting away too !!

catch_me_if_you_can

We do a wash for sheets/duvet covers, a towel wash and then all the clothes are done together (maybe 3 x a week) we used to separate out undies for a separate wash but ended up with none to wear while waiting for a full load. All clean clothes are folded and put in the right room - the iron has been out once this year. All line dried, rarely tumble.

DD will pull her clothes from her pile.

I will put away my stuff, OH leaves it on the side and then wears it.

Kathy535

There are 3 of us but both DH and DD have an aversion to wearing clothes for more than a few hours and put them out for washing after one wear despite my pleas. So I do a wash each day divided into darks and whites and do a call for anything which might be hiding in plain sight on the floor - I don't do picking stuff up for others who are capable of doing it themselves! In summer I line dry and in winter I dry small items on an airer in the conservatory. Bigger things like jumpers etc I hang up on a rail in the spare room in front of the radiator (we use this room as a study so I don't feel bad about the heating being on. This works well and has the advantage of cutting down on the ironing - hurray! I only iron stuff that is i) creased and ii) will be seen. Much to my mother's disgust I don't iron sheets, quilt covers or tea towels. This way, I put washing on when I leave for work and hang it up when I get home, putting away the dry stuff and ironing takes 90mins on a Sunday night.

poppy-glos

two of us, but small house so limited drying space. When dry weather out on line outside, when wet on hangers on curtain rails and doorframes, plus one (trifold) airer and two of the 16 clip hangers for socks and undies.

I use the tumble dryer to finish off the damp stuff when wet outside and i have more from the next load to dry, or at times like now when the heating isn't on and the heavy clothing doesn't dry in the house. If it's been on the airer for 24 hours and still feels wet i tumble it, rather than waiting for it to smell and rewashing it. Just looked up the cost of running the td and it is 35 p an hour, which is less than i had imagined.

dd(9) puts all of her laundry away (i put on her bed so has to be put away before bed), and puts dirty stuff into the laundry basket to be washed. She also enjoys a bit of pegging out (the first six items max...) and about once a fortnight sorts the loads for me (coloured/darks/whites) and loads one lot into the machine.

bedding is washed fortnightly, and towels are used for the week, then used as the weekly swim towels (and into the wash straight after swimming).

swimming cossies and bra's bathe with me! (extension of handwashing!) - i bathe daily and have underwired bras so don't put them in machine (escaping wires and all that) and easy to wash daily in the bath then hang up to dry off the showerhead holder, (only one loo in house so quickly whip them upstairs if we have guests arrive or planned) - swim cossies i do in the bath as think handwash is probably kinder on the lycra. Can't remember the film but patrick swazee finishing a dance class then washing his vest in the shower gave me the idea 20 years ago :rotfl:

Pink.

Hi randomer,

As your thread has fallen down the page I've added it to the thread that squeaky mentioned to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

I've enjoyed reading this thread it makes me remember when my kids were at home and I had an ever increasing mound of washing.
There always seemed to be something drying somewhere in the house.
Nowadays there's just me and MrT,he may be getting on in years but still creates his own washing mountain:mad:.
He's a real clean freak.
Still life is a lot easier than when my children were at home too.